[Investigative Report]
Commercial Facilities on Campus?
By. Jin Hyeon-woo, International Reporter, hwjin@mju.ac.kr
By. Koh Eun-e, International Reporter, eunyikoh@mju.ac.kr
Today, on campus, there are huge flourishing business districts, just like downtown, compared to the past when there were only small shops. In case of Myongji, we have had franchise convenience stores, cafes, and fast-food shops pop up on the Campus. There are several benefits to having such facilities on campus. It is helpful to manage finances for the school, companies can easily target a niche market, and it is convenient for the students. But there are thoughts that these facilities disturb the atmosphere and natural beauty. We wonder what students at Myongji University think about these facilities and whether they really want them.
Kim Da-bin, Department of Political Science & Diplomacy, Sophomore
1. Do you often go to the commercial facilities on our campus?
A. I often go to cafes. There are not enough commercial facilities to visit because our school has only a few businesses, but I have been to the post office and cafes many times.
2. Do you think there any pros or cons of these facilities?
A. I think the plus side is that they are located at popular gathering places. Because the facilities are convenient to access, we can visit them frequently. The negative side is the unfriendly people who work for the businesses.
3. Can you tell us what you expect to happen to the future of Myongji’s campus?
A. I expect that our school life could become more positive with new facilities, but due to our university's narrow and small spaces they would spoil the beauty of the university.
Kim Woo-jin, Department of Political Science & Diplomacy, Sophomore
1. Do you usually go to commercial facilities on campus?
I often have a meal at the Campus Restaurant, but not cafes or fast-food shops.
2. What are the strengths of the facilities on campus?
They are compact and can be easily found. I love that I can visit them at any time.
3. What do you anticipate about the future of such facilities?
Well, I oppose the construction of them. Instead, we can convert the space to more classrooms. We should think about it carefully.
In a survey we found that many students have positive opinions about the attraction of commercial facilities in universities. The top reason many people picked was "convenience," and some chose "a variety of services." Also, people selected the "cafeteria" as the priority for the attraction of businesses, followed by "CVS". Most people chose "for students" as the facilities' purpose. But overall, only a few people expressed opposition to the facilities due to commercialization of the university and high prices.
Commercial facilities on campus clearly give various benefits to students and the university. That point makes many people agree to allow those businesses. But if they are just revenue-making businesses irrelevant to student welfare, it could be far from the purpose of the establishment of the university. It is time to consider the purpose of commercial facilities in universities.
Investigative Report 2차교정.docx